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9:02:17 PM Rycroft: When last we left, you guys had left the Questing Goat with some information in hand. 9:02:30 PM Rycroft: You talked to a couple of mummies. 9:03:10 PM Josie: Josie and the others had gotten a name of someone to talk to who might know something! 9:03:31 PM Rycroft: Yes, a psychic! Named Cassie. 9:04:32 PM Rycroft: Josie gave the Prince some hair, and you all exchanged questions. 9:07:06 PM Rycroft: You had learned some stuff about the Thule, as well. 9:09:52 PM Rycroft: So! What do you guys do now? 9:10:02 PM Josie: Josie goes to talk to that Cassie person! 9:11:06 PM Rycroft: She has a practice downtown. The Prince gave you the address. 9:11:38 PM Josie: Josie drives everybody there! 9:12:18 PM Rafe: Rafe rides along. 9:13:31 PM Josie: Josie likes to drive. Interpret that as you wish. 9:14:38 PM Ella: Ella does not read into it. She's too busy being a strange little humanoid. 9:15:24 PM Rycroft: You haev to deal with some traffic, so it takes you some time, but before long you're standing in front of small house wedged between two larger buildings with a sign that says Madame Cassandra - Psychic Readings - Fortunes Told - Palms Read. 9:16:39 PM Josie: Ugh, palmistry. 9:17:33 PM Ella: Ooh, maybe she knows how to make ectoplasm! I could never get it quite right. 9:17:58 PM Ella: I know it involves egg whites and cheesecloth. 9:19:25 PM Rycroft: Is Rafe still in disguise? 9:19:48 PM Rafe: ((We didn't go back, so yeah. Wouldn't want to walk around in an ill-fitting suit!)) 9:20:12 PM Rycroft: Did you want to go back and change? 9:20:21 PM Rafe: ((It's fine.)) 9:20:53 PM Josie: So, Rafe. Since you've done both... what's it like being a man? 9:21:25 PM Rafe: Rafe blinks a couple times. "What's it like?" 9:22:51 PM Josie: Yes. How is it different? 9:23:27 PM Rafe: ....it's easier. But often not as fun. 9:23:56 PM Josie: ... it would be an interesting experience. 9:24:55 PM Rafe: I think it's a matter of novelty, really. What is normal is usually boring. 9:25:36 PM Josie: I wonder if the effect can be mimicked with magic. 9:26:01 PM Rafe: Rafe shrugs. "You can mimic it with makeup and costumes." 9:26:40 PM Josie: And that wouldn't give you the full picture, yes. 9:26:49 PM Josie: ... I think I'd need an awful lot of makeup and padding. 9:28:06 PM Rafe: Rafe grins at her. "I suppose it depends on what you're really asking here." 9:28:31 PM Rafe: There are a lot of subtle differences that make a world of difference in how you are perceived by others. Height, weight, hair color, clothing. 9:29:49 PM Josie: I think it would be an interesting experience to be someone else for a while. 9:30:03 PM Rafe: It can teach you a lot. 9:30:45 PM Rafe: Walk a mile in another's shoes, as the saying goes. 9:31:20 PM Josie: ... I hate traffic. 9:31:38 PM Rycroft: ((You're there!)) 9:31:52 PM Josie: Josie parks, and hops out of the car. 9:32:19 PM Ella: Ella scrambles out. 9:32:36 PM Rafe: Rafe follows. 9:33:52 PM Josie: Josie heads into the fortuneteller's office! 9:35:34 PM Rycroft: It's unlocked! The front door has a little bell on it. 9:36:17 PM Josie: Josie goes in, and rings it? 9:37:23 PM Ella: Ella follows, looking around inquisitively. 9:38:28 PM Rycroft: It's the kind where it jingles when you open it. There's a small sitting room, with three mugs of coffee sitting there! 9:38:46 PM Rafe: Rafe grins. "Guess she knew we were coming, huh?" 9:40:05 PM Ella: Seems so. 9:40:16 PM Josie: If they're for us. 9:43:10 PM Rycroft: The cup of coffee in front of each of you seems to have been prepared exactly the way you like your coffee. 9:43:47 PM Josie: Josie shrugs, picks it up and takes a sip. 9:44:11 PM Josie: If her name is really Cassandra we're not going to believe a word of anything she says until it's too late. 9:45:34 PM Rafe: I'm sure if that were the case, she'd have changed her name. 9:45:46 PM Rycroft: Josie's coffee is perfect. Cream, no sugar. 9:46:19 PM Josie: I doubt it works that way. 9:46:29 PM Josie: Mmm, that is nice, though. 9:49:09 PM Rafe: Rafe decides to look around the public areas of the office while we wait for her to appear. 9:50:02 PM Ella: Eh. If nothing else, it might give me more of a sense of what *could* happen. I still have no idea what normal means in this world. 9:50:52 PM Rycroft: The sitting room is a bit claustrophobic, with lots of shelves filled with knicknacks. Little statuettes of big-eyed children. Little frogs sitting on logs with googly eyes. 9:52:18 PM Josie: I don't think there is much of a normal anymore. 9:54:05 PM Rafe: If she knew we were coming, I wonder why she isn't here to greet us. 9:55:35 PM Rycroft: Ella is being eyes by a small statuette of a banana with fangs and googly eyes. 9:56:09 PM Ella: ... 9:56:44 PM Josie: I don't know. 9:57:21 PM Ella: Ella makes a tiny shadowy near-identical bananagoblin and has it caper about the table. 9:58:02 PM Ella: Ella shrugs and looks down at her coffee, then picks it up and takes a tentative sip. "Well, this was probably made for me. I don't know if anyone else likes their sugarmilk with a bit of coffee." 9:58:07 PM Rafe: Rafe reaches up over the door and rings the bell more obviously. 9:59:18 PM Josie: Josie gulps the rest of her coffee down. 10:03:37 PM Josie: Josie digs out something from the bottom of her cup and looks at it! 10:03:53 PM Rycroft: The bell rings loudly in the sitting room. 10:04:18 PM Josie: Josie ignores it! 10:07:06 PM Rafe: ...Miss Drake? Are you here? 10:07:30 PM Ella: Ella finishes her coffee and poofs up another bananagoblin. The two start playing tag. 10:14:05 PM Rafe: ....I must admit I'm a bit worried about this. 10:14:19 PM Josie: Why? 10:15:07 PM Rafe: ...why? She set out coffee for us, so she knew we were coming, but you two have both finished your cups before she appeared. With all the crazy going around right now, why not? 10:17:17 PM Josie: ... oh dear. 10:17:22 PM Josie: Josie reads a note. 10:17:43 PM Josie: She's going crazy and she's trying to leave us clues for something... 10:17:59 PM Josie: ... and she's going to do or has done something awful. 10:18:04 PM Ella: Hoo boy. 10:18:24 PM Rafe: Where'd you find that? 10:18:59 PM Josie: In my coffee. 10:19:18 PM Josie: Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, then Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 10:19:47 PM Josie: ... dates? Author's names? Mary Shelley didn't use a pseudonym so it isn't that. ... or did she... 10:19:47 PM Rafe: Shelley, Bronte, Twain. 10:20:16 PM Rafe: Rafe glances around the room to see if there are books. 10:20:25 PM Josie: No, that's not right. 10:20:47 PM Ella: Hm. 10:21:00 PM Josie: It's Shelley, Bell, Twain, or Shelley, Bronte, Clemens. 10:21:01 PM Rafe: All that was written, or just the titles? 10:21:33 PM Rafe: Mmmm. Fair enough. 10:21:52 PM Ella: Ella goes over to the actual bananagoblin and examines it. 10:22:13 PM Josie: Here. 10:22:19 PM Josie: Josie hands Rafe the note. 10:22:30 PM Rafe: Rafe reads it. 10:22:34 PM Josie: I don't know the dates of publication, we'll have to go to a library for that. 10:23:14 PM Josie: MS, EB, MT. MS, EB, SC. 10:24:06 PM Rafe: Maybe she left notes inside the books somewhere here? Like a treasure hunt? 10:24:31 PM Rycroft: No books in this room, no. 10:24:34 PM Rycroft: Some magazines. 10:25:25 PM Josie: Or at the library. 10:25:28 PM Ella: Ella puts on a pair of gloves and picks up the googly-eyed banana thing to examine it further. 10:25:33 PM Josie: We shold find out where the nearest library is. 10:25:53 PM Josie: ... she couldn't've left anything *in* the books, those books are far too popular. 10:26:08 PM Rafe: Well, let's look around here first. 10:26:17 PM Rafe: Rafe looks for other rooms. 10:27:23 PM Rycroft: There's two doors from this room. Her office seems to be a house, so. THere's one on the back wall, and one on the left from where you came in from outside. 10:28:25 PM Rafe: Rafe knocks at the door leading inside, loudly, and waits long enough to be satisfied nobody's coming before entering. 10:29:00 PM Josie: Josie checks the other door, just in case. 10:30:54 PM Rycroft: The door on the side leads to the kitchen/dining room, it looks like. The stuff for making coffee is still out on the counter. There are many coffee cups, though, each full of coffee of some variation of the coffee you got ,like she had to try several times to get it right. 10:31:12 PM Rycroft: One, for example, she seemed to put in salt intstead of sugar. 10:31:57 PM Rycroft: The back door leads to a large parlor room. This would seem to be where most of her business was done... there's a small table with a crystal ball on it, a pack of tarot cards, and burning incense. 10:32:37 PM Josie: Josie looks into the crystal ball. 10:33:24 PM Rycroft: It doesn't do anything. 10:34:07 PM Rycroft: There's another door at the back of the parlour hidden behind some elaborate beaded curtains. 10:34:24 PM Rafe: Rafe will open it! 10:34:35 PM Josie: Josie checks that too. 10:36:30 PM Rycroft: It seems to be a bedroom/den. Lots of filled bookshelves! 10:36:42 PM Rafe: Rafe starts looking for the right books! 10:37:05 PM Ella: Ella helps look! 10:37:30 PM Josie: ... be careful. We don't know how she was when she wrote that noge. 10:37:34 PM Josie: Note. 10:40:59 PM Rycroft: You can find the three books. Just about all the books she has are fiction. 10:41:35 PM Rafe: Rafe takes Frankenstein and flips through the pages looking for notes in the covers, the margins, or actual pieces of paper stuck in there. 10:44:57 PM Josie: Josie checks Huck. 10:46:44 PM Ella: Ella rifles through Wuthering Heights. 10:57:41 PM Rycroft: A piece of paper falls out of Frankenstein as Rafe is paging through it. 10:57:55 PM Rafe: Rafe picks it up and reads it. 10:58:20 PM Rycroft: It's a list of names. The first three names are crossed out. 10:58:32 PM Rafe: You two recognize any of these names? 10:58:51 PM Josie: Josie peers at it. 10:58:59 PM Ella: Ella skims the list. 11:02:31 PM Rycroft: There's like twenty names. 11:02:48 PM Josie: ... Tom Anderson, he's the one who attacked that girl at the club. 11:04:06 PM Rafe: So I wonder if these other two crossed off are the other two mentioned at the pub earlier... the airport and.... what was the other? 11:05:06 PM Josie: ... possible. 11:05:12 PM Josie: Josie takes out the Thule book and crossreferences! 11:05:39 PM Rycroft: Same names! Though there are none that are crossed off in the journal. 11:05:55 PM Rycroft: And the name of the guy at the club *isn't* crossed off. 11:06:01 PM Rafe: Rafe looks through Huck while Josie does that. Ella still has WH, yes? 11:06:36 PM Ella: ((Yep.)) 11:06:41 PM Rycroft: Yep. Huck Finn has an address in it. And Wuthering Heights has a key in it. 11:07:17 PM Rafe: Names, key, address? 11:08:08 PM Josie: ... we'd better get to that address. 11:08:32 PM Rafe: Why would it matter what order they were in? 11:12:44 PM Josie: It might not. Let's go. 11:12:53 PM Rafe: Rafe shrugs and follows. 11:13:46 PM Rycroft: So, headed to the address? 11:13:52 PM Ella: Ella puts the book back in its spot and tromps along behind. 11:14:12 PM Rafe: ((yup yup)) 11:16:02 PM Rycroft: The address leads to an apartment building! 11:16:18 PM Josie: Josie drives there! If they drive. 11:16:42 PM Rycroft: Yep! It's a pretty long walk otherwise. 11:17:47 PM Rafe: I'd guess this key opens a door, but how do we know which one? 11:18:01 PM Rycroft: Said apartment building seems to be empty. 11:18:13 PM Rycroft: At least, it looks that way from the outside. 11:18:56 PM Ella: Ella studies the key. Sometimes they have their room-number written on them. 11:19:41 PM Rafe: Rafe tries the front door! 11:20:00 PM Josie: Josie frowns. 11:20:06 PM Rycroft: The front door is locked! And the key has no markings on it. 11:20:17 PM Rafe: Try it here, Miss Burke. 11:20:41 PM Ella: Ella does so. 11:20:58 PM Rycroft: It doesn't fit! 11:21:14 PM Rafe: Rafe knocks. 11:21:42 PM Rycroft: No answer. 11:22:17 PM Rafe: Rafe looks for a callbox or something with residents' names on it. 11:22:44 PM Josie: ... something's in that building, Rafe. 11:22:56 PM Josie: I'm not sure what. ... I don't think it's as strong as the other Tear was, but... 11:23:14 PM Rafe: Think we should call it in? 11:24:52 PM Josie: ... I think that would be a very sensible precaution. 11:25:02 PM Josie: Call for backup, then investigate. 11:26:06 PM Ella: Seems like a plan. 11:26:15 PM Rafe: Rafe looks down both sides of the street for a place that would have a phone... or a phone booth. 11:26:40 PM Josie: ... no, let me call. 11:27:02 PM Josie: Josie goes out and tries to find a place most likely to have a phone. 11:27:06 PM Rycroft: There's a phone booth not far away! 11:27:23 PM Josie: Josie calls in and asks for Anya. 11:27:59 PM Rafe: Rafe will follow (and motion for Ella to also). 11:30:21 PM Ella: Ella tags along. 11:30:47 PM Josie: Anya? It's Dr. Black. 11:31:14 PM Josie: We were given a lead by an undead merchant prince at the bar, which led us to a fortuneteller named Cassandra. 11:31:28 PM Josie: When we got to Cassandra's house she was gone, but she left an inscrutable, bizarre note that led us to... 11:31:35 PM Josie: Josie peers at the nearest street signs and gives the address. 11:31:56 PM Josie: And there's something wrong with this building; I'm not sure what's in it, but ... it's definitely some *thing* and not some *one.* 11:34:13 PM Josie: ... 11:34:15 PM Josie: No. 11:34:17 PM Josie: No, please don't. 11:34:27 PM Josie: But you should send someone to check up on us. We're going in. 11:34:41 PM Josie: And if we're mindcontrolled or something, then you can burn us down. 11:35:28 PM Rafe: Rafe looks at Ella. "I don't know about you, but I didn't give permission to be burned down." 11:35:47 PM Josie: ... well, you can burn me down at least. 11:36:06 PM Josie: Rafe is objecting, but I think I'd be terrifying if I were evil, so it would most certainly be best to kill me. I can do really awful things to people. 11:36:32 PM Josie: Oh good. Thank you, Anya. We'll call back if something else happens. 11:36:34 PM Josie: Josie hangs up. 11:36:42 PM Josie: All right, we're going in, and we've got backup. 11:36:52 PM Rafe: ...what did she want to do? 11:37:01 PM Josie: And *this* time if I feel myself being overtaken I've got an emergency switch that'll knock me out. 11:37:15 PM Josie: Oh, I think she'd like to burn down the building and raze the city. 11:37:19 PM Josie: But doesn't everybody, really. 11:37:25 PM Josie: Josie heads back to the building. 11:37:42 PM Rafe: Rafe blinks then follows. 11:37:45 PM Ella: Well, I guess a horrible, fiery death is *slightly* better than murderous mood swings. 11:37:57 PM Ella: Ella keeps close. 11:38:09 PM Rycroft: Okay! The front door remains locked. 11:38:35 PM Rafe: Rafe heads around back to see if there's another door... or a less conspicuous window. 11:40:14 PM Ella: Ella wishes she had taken Greg up on his offer to teach her how to pick locks. (Greg was the circus' illusionist.) 11:40:53 PM Rycroft: There are several first story windows, and a side door down an alley. 11:41:02 PM Rafe: Rafe tries the side door. 11:41:32 PM Josie: Josie sticks with him. 11:41:49 PM Josie: I can hotwire a car, I can't pick a lock. 11:42:07 PM Rycroft: Also locked! But it's a much flimsier door. 11:42:21 PM Rafe: Never had much need to pick them. Usually people just open it for me. 11:42:35 PM Ella: Ella also tags along, not wanting to be gingernapped while they're occupied. 11:42:52 PM Rafe: ...well, always wanted to try this. 11:43:06 PM Rafe: Rafe slams his shoulder into the door, trying to break it in. 11:43:27 PM Josie: Josie winces. 11:43:35 PM Rycroft: The door gives a bit, but now Rafe's shoulder hurts. 11:43:39 PM Rafe: That..... is a lot easier on set. 11:44:44 PM Rafe: Rafe changes his lower body's flabbies into muscles and kicks next to the doorknob instead. 11:44:58 PM Josie: Well yes, when the door is made of tinder-twigs. 11:45:21 PM Josie: I should start carrying a purse with aspirin and extra handkerchiefs. 11:45:34 PM Rycroft: That works! The door gets kicked in. 11:45:49 PM Rafe: Rafe shifts back to his normal "Arnold" self. 11:46:05 PM Rafe: Rafe also holds his shoulder a bit, stepping inside. 11:46:24 PM Rafe: Handkerchiefs? 11:46:42 PM Josie: Useful for bandages and the like. 11:47:11 PM | Edited 11:48:15 PM Josie: Much better this way. What do you really look like, when you're not trying to look like anything? 11:47:31 PM Rafe: ((He's still the older, chubbier guy)) 11:48:50 PM Rafe: Like Rafe of course! Why would I change when nature blessed me so well? 11:50:12 PM Josie: I don't believe you at all. 11:50:27 PM Rafe: Rafe grins. 11:51:30 PM Rycroft: There's a narrow hallway ahead of you, looks like a maitenance area. 11:53:02 PM Josie: You must have been hideous and bald and withered and odd. 11:53:04 PM Rafe: "God has given you one face, and you make yourself another." 11:53:24 PM Rafe: Wow. I'm glad you think so highly of me! 11:53:26 PM Rafe: Rafe laughs. 11:53:30 PM Ella: Well, let's see what sort of weirdness we find in here. 11:53:43 PM Josie: Well the way you *choose* to look is a matter of taste for you. 11:54:26 PM Ella: Ella cautiously inches inside. 11:54:34 PM Josie: So that's a compliment. Let's go to the basement, that's where it is. 11:54:49 PM Josie: Maybe your natural form is a ball of ... strawberry jam. 11:55:06 PM Rafe: Hideous, bald, withered, and odd is a compliment? I still have much to learn. 11:55:19 PM Rafe: Rafe chuckles again, walking toward where the basement might be. 11:56:28 PM Ella: Ella follows. 11:56:47 PM Josie: No, you'd have good taste by not continuing looking like that. Which is a compliment. 11:57:00 PM Josie: But I still vote for the jam. 11:57:28 PM Rafe: Well, I am quite human, I assure you. 11:59:00 PM Josie: Only that. 11:59:22 PM Rycroft: You pass by what is probably the maintenance guy's small apartment... at least when the building is occupied, this is where the maintenance guy lives. It *does* look lived in, though, there's a small stove with a pot on it, a radio, some books. AM Josie: Josie peers in, quietly. AM Rafe: A good compliment would be something like... You have great taste. AM Rafe: ...and by that I mean you like the same things I do. AM Rafe: ...and by that I mean you like me. AM Josie: Well, I *do* have great taste, and I *do* like some of the same things you do and I *do* like you. AM Josie: So obviously you have great taste too, I think? AM Rafe: And that's the other point. They do have to be true statements. AM Rafe: I like to think so! AM Rafe: Rafe laughs again. AM Josie: I rarely lie. AM Josie: .... the books are in German, Rafe. AM Rafe: It's not damning evidence. AM Rafe: You said it was empty, right? AM Josie: No one is here. AM Josie: But some*thing* is. AM Rafe: Well, let's go see what. AM Josie: Right. AM Rycroft: You can find a basement access door! AM Rafe: Rafe opens it! AM Rycroft: It's not locked. AM Josie: Shame you don't mix business and pleasure. ... then again I don't know how you can't enjoy this. I do. AM Rafe: I wouldn't be here if I didn't. AM Rycroft: There's a narrow staircase leading down. There's something that smells pretty foul down there. AM Josie: So you've already broken your rule. AM Josie: ... what *is* that smell. AM Ella: Eh. It's only slightly worse than when Gerald decided to try making kimchi. AM Rafe: I over-simplified. And I don't know. AM Rycroft: You go down the stairs? AM Josie: I think it's horrible. AM Rafe: ((yep! Thought I already was.)) AM Josie: Josie follows him. AM Ella: Ella also follows. AM Rycroft: You find the basement. It's mostly been cleared out so there's a large empty space. The cement floor is covered with a complex arcane circle painted in red. The smell *seems* to be coming from the still-buring candles that are placed at regular points around the outside of said circle. AM Rycroft: Off to the side there are several heavy, locked trunks. AM Josie: ... oh dear. AM Josie: Josie racks her brains to try to remember what this is! AM Josie: Ella, do you recognize it? AM Ella: Not even a lil' bit. AM Josie: Me either. AM Josie: This is what I was feeling before. AM Rycroft: The design is disturbingly asymmetrical for an arcane circle, as well. The circle is filled with squiggles and angles that dont' reciprocate. AM Josie: ... it's off-center. AM Rafe: When you asked us to knock you out? AM Rafe: Or just 'before' when you felt something not someone? AM Ella: Well don't try to correct it or you'll likely set somehing off. AM Josie: Just before. AM Rafe: Well that's good. Can't say I'd ever want to do the former. AM Ella: Ella cautiously approaches the trunks and tries the key on one of them. AM Josie: If I felt what I felt when I asked you to knock you out, I'd be unconscious right now. AM Rycroft: Nope, wrong kind of key. AM Ella: Drat. AM Rafe: You mentioned that. How? AM Josie: My frog can trigger a spell to knock me out. AM Ella: (Are the other locks the same kind of lock?) AM Rafe: Handy. AM Rycroft: Yep. They're simple locks, though. You might be able to force 'em. AM Josie: Can you bash them? AM Rafe: Rafe looks for a crowbar or hammer or something solid. AM Rycroft: You can find a metal toolbox near the trunks. AM Rafe: Rafe finds some appropriate tool and commences the smashing, again becoming stronger but avoiding ripping his clothes. AM Ella: Do any of you chaps hear a rythmic thumping noise, or am I going crazy? AM Rycroft: When you open up the toolbox, there are a bunch of nasty looking tools you don't recognize. And they're not.... clean. Kinda dirty with this dried reddish brown junk. You do find a hammer and a screwdriver, too. Those seem mercifully clean. AM Rafe: ....gross. AM Josie: Josie looks away. AM Josie: Blood magic. AM Ella: Ella walks around the room a bit, trying to see if the thumping gets louder anywhere. AM Rafe: I don't hear anything. AM Rafe: Rafe takes the hammer and screwdriver and does as above. AM Josie: I don't hear anything either. AM Rycroft: You get the trunks open easily. AM Ella: Great. I'm slowly spiraling into madness. Again. AM Rafe: ...again? AM Ella: I went crazy for a bit, back when I was a shaman. Tried some stupid ideas, made a bunch of crazy items that were more for fun than anything else. AM Ella: ...and that dagger. AM Josie: ... should ... we be worried? AM Josie: Josie checks inside a trunk! AM Rycroft: One trunk is filled with red-and-white-and-gold ritual robes. AM | Edited 12:59:28 AM Ella: I dunno, my powers are pretty much harmless, and I seem to be more of a constructive madgirl than a fire-and-blood madgirl *mumbles* ...well, except that one time, but I was perfectly lucid, then. AM Rafe: Rafe checks another. AM Josie: Well, that's good. AM Ella: Also, I think the thumping noise is coming from underneath the circle. AM Ella: That may or may not be worrying. AM Ella: It also sounds eerily similar to a heartbeat. AM Rycroft: The other trunk is filled with more candles, a golden chalice, some old looking ritual daggers, a scepter, and several vials filled with various colored liquids! AM Josie: ... perhaps we'd better wait for the others. AM Josie: I don't know what to do. AM Rafe: Don't look at me! AM Josie: You haven't had a regression yet, so I wasn't. AM Rycroft: After a few minutes, Rafe and Josie also start to hear a rhythmic *thump thump*, like a heartbeat. AM Rycroft: The beating of the hideous heart! AM Rafe: Why would Cassandra send us here? AM Josie: To stop whatever it is from happening. AM Josie: Or to sacrifice us all and *make* it happen. AM Rafe: Maybe we should wait upstairs. AM Rafe: Or outside. AM Josie: ... yes, let's do that. AM Rycroft: So you guys wait outside for the Council guys to show up? AM | Edited 12:47:12 AM Ella: Yeh, I think my heartbeat's starting to synchronize with the one I hear. That may be rather worrying. AM Josie: Josie does, yes! AM Rafe: Rafe too. AM Ella: Ella gets the VOID out of there. AM Ella: ...great, now I want kimchi. AM Rycroft: After about ten minutes, Anya and some council guys show up. AM Rafe: Anya, a pleasure as always. AM Josie: Josie waves. AM Josie: I think we're all right. AM Ella: Hi! AM Josie: But there's a magic circle in the basement and Ella heard a heartbeat. AM Rycroft: She lights a cigarette using a puff of fire from her nose, it seems. "Hmm. What do you think you found, then?" AM Rycroft: She nods at the other Council guys and they go inside. AM Josie: Thule influence. AM Rycroft: Anya: A magic circle? Hmm. Perhaps this is their nest, then. AM Rafe: ...nest? AM Rycroft: Anya: Nest. Lair. Flophouse. Hive. AM Josie: I don't think so. AM Josie: It looked like just one of them. AM Rycroft: Anya: You believe they have more? AM Josie: We found a list of people. AM Josie: People going mad. AM Josie: The fortuneteller was on it. AM Rafe: She was? AM Rycroft: Anya: The fortuneteller? AM Josie: ((Wait, was she?)) AM Josie: ((I don't think you ssaid but I assumed she was because it was a list of people with the crazies and she had the crazies.)) AM Rycroft: ((No, she wasn't on there.)) AM Rycroft: Anya: ... may I see this list? AM Josie: Oh, no she wasn't. It was the madman at the dance. AM Josie: Josie hands it to her. AM Rycroft: Anya read the list. "... I don't know any of these people." AM Rafe: Would you? AM Rycroft: Anya shrugs. "It was worth looking at. So... Cassandra Drake, then?" AM Josie: Josie nods. AM Rafe: Yes. AM Rycroft: Anya: Her I know. AM Josie: What was she like? Do you think we could find her? AM Rycroft: Anya: Very.... smart? Annoying. She was usually right about most things. AM Josie: I'm afraid she's done something terrible. Or will. AM Rycroft: Anya: Because you think she's been made crazy? Hmm. Chances are she foresaw this happening to her. I think you might be likely to find her. AM Josie: How? AM Rycroft: Anya shrugs. "I do not know. But she might have made it so. Set things up." AM Josie: ... we just need to help her if we can. AM Rycroft: Anya shrugs. "We'll have our people look for her." AM Rafe: Maybe there's something still to the order of the books? I don't know why we needed to find the key before the address. AM Josie: I don't know either. But the letter does say *then.* AM Rycroft: Anya: Well. You three should continue looking for Cassandra. She brought you this far. AM Rafe: Did the key fit into anything yet? AM Josie: No. AM | Edited 1:30:40 AM Rafe: Maybe we'll think better on a full stomach. How about I take you two out to dinner and we'll mull it over. AM Rycroft: ((About time for dinner.)) AM Josie: I like it, let's go. AM Rafe: ....with a quick detour back to the hotel for a change. AM Rafe: Rafe smiles. AM Josie: Mmm. What should Ella and I change into, then? AM Rafe: Whatever you like. Ladies' choice. AM Rafe: Of course you're both already so beautiful, you don't need to change at all. I'd just like to look less frumpy. AM Rafe: And less like I could be your father. AM Josie: Mmm, now why would you object to that? AM Rafe: Who likes to look old when they can be young? AM Josie: ... how old *are* you really? AM Rafe: You're awfully inquisitive today, aren't you? AM Rafe: Rafe laughs. AM Josie: I *am*, and you haven't answered. AM Josie: I must therefore conclude that you're seven hundred and forty-two. AM Rafe: Seven hundred forty-two, bald, wrinkled and hideous. Indeed. You must have plucked all that information right out of my head. AM Rafe: Rafe smiles. AM Josie: Mmm. No. I'm 27, though I only admit to 24. AM Rafe: Well perhaps I'll just keep it to myself because I know you're intrigued. AM Rafe: Arnold, however, is 56. I'll give you that much. AM Rafe: Rafe chuckles. AM Josie: I suppose we wouldn't want to lose the mystery. AM Rafe: Anya, you brighten my day every time I see you. If you're not too busy supervising, there's another chair at our future table for you. AM Josie: Ah, now I don't feel special anymore--you flirt with everyone. AM Rycroft: Anya puffs at her cigarette. "Oh, is that flirting? Hmph." AM Rafe: Not *everyone*. Though you're the most fun to flirt with since you actually play along. AM Rafe: Rafe smiles. AM Rafe: Miss Burke hasn't responded to one! AM Josie: She's got better sense than I have. AM Rafe: Rafe chuckles. AM Rafe: Let me make up for it then. AM Rafe: Rafe kneels and takes her hand dramatically. "If a thousand painters worked for a thousand years, they could not create a work of art as beautiful as you." AM Josie: ... flatterer. AM Josie: You won't even pay me genuine attentions so I can dramatically spurn them. AM Josie: It's so tiresome. AM Rafe: Rafe grins and stands. AM Ella: Ella grins. "I've only known you for a few days. Did you expect me to hand someone my heart before I know their mind?" AM Rafe: Oh, come now, Miss Burke... I never asked for your heart! I'm a clumsy fool when it comes to that. AM Josie: Ooh, be careful when you talk about knowing people's minds, because that *can* be arranged. AM Rafe: I do hope you'll allow the mystery to continue and aren't so impatient you'd start poking around for answers. AM | Edited 2:00:42 AM Ella: Yeh, you're right, I guess. I don't care for knowing the entirety of anyone's mind. 'Most everyone's got something weird in there somewhere. AM Rafe: Shall we then? We can continue once we've found Miss Drake. And I'm famished. AM Josie: Food it is. I'll drive. AM Rycroft: And we shall leave it here.